The present invention is in the field of sprayable hard surface cleaning compositions, in particular it relates to products and methods suitable for the removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils from cookware and tableware.
Cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils are amongst the most severe types of soils to remove from surfaces. Traditionally, the removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils from cookware and tableware requires soaking the soiled object prior to a mechanical action. Apparently, the automatic dishwashing process alone does not provide a satisfactory removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils. Manual dishwashing process requires a tremendous rubbing effort to remove cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils and this can be detrimental to the safety and condition of the cookware/tableware.
The use of cleaning compositions containing solvent for helping in the removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on solids is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,573 provides a method for treating hard surfaces soiled with cooked-on, baked-on or dried-on food residues comprising applying a pre-spotting composition to the soiled article. The composition applied comprises surfactant, builder, amine and solvent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,007 provides an aqueous hard surface cleaning composition for removing hardened dried or baked-on grease soil deposits. The composition comprises nonionic surfactant, chelating agent, caustic, a glycol ether solvent system, organic amine and anti-redeposition agents. WO-A-94/28108 discloses an aqueous cleaner concentrate composition, that can be diluted to form a more viscous use solution comprising an effective thickening amount of a rod micelle thickener composition, lower alkyl glycol ether solvent and hardness sequestering agent. The application also describes a method of cleaning a food preparation unit having at least one substantially vertical surface having a baked food soil coating. Furthermore, WO-A-97/08301 describes an aqueous hard surface cleaner composition comprising a solvent mixture consisting of a glycol ether acetate and a glycol ether.
The currently known compositions are not fully satisfactory from a consumer viewpoint especially regarding the performance for removal of baked-on, polymerized soil, in particular polymerized grease soils, from metal and other substrates. Indeed, there is still need for an effective cleaning compositions and methods used prior to the washing process of tableware and cookware soiled with cooked-on, baked-on or burnt-on food in order to facilitate the removal of these difficult food residues. Furthermore, it has been found that compositions effective for the removal of cooked-, baked- or burnt-on soils are sometimes perceived as having an unpleasant odour.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide cleaning compositions wherein said compositions provide a good performance on the removal of baked-on, polymerized soil, preferably polymerized grease soil, from metal and other substrates whilst the malodour impression of the composition is reduced.
It has now been found that the above objective can be met by the hard surface cleaning composition comprising a solvent system according to the present invention.
An advantage of the present invention is that the compositions according to the present invention are easy to use and hence reduce the amount of effort required from the user. Indeed, consumers find that the sprayable compositions herein are easy and very convenient to use.
The following documents are representative of the prior art relevant for the present invention.
WO 97/44427 describes alkaline hard surface cleaning compositions comprising a solvent system consisting of a glycol ether acetate having a solubility in water of below 20% and a glycol ether having a solubility in water of 100%. WO 97/44427 fails to disclose the specific solvent system as described herein.
The present invention encompasses a hard surface cleaning composition comprising a solvent system, wherein said solvent system comprises : a mono-, di- or tri-ethylene glycol phenyl ether or a mixture thereof; and a di- or tri-propylene glycol alkyl ether having an alkyl chain containing of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms or a mixture thereof.